Every country in the world's top-10 rankings has a professional women's league, so why doesn't Canada? It's the next logical step for the game in this country, says its respected star Christine Sinclair.

Sure, it’s dulled by a short passage of time, but Canada’s 1-0 quarterfinal loss to Sweden and subsequent exit from the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France still gnaws at Christine Sinclair and her teammates on the national team.

“Yes, it’s … hard,” Sinclair said Tuesday with a heavy exhalation.

Canada had dictated play in the knockout round clash, up until Stina Blackstenius scored on a counterattack just before halftime, forcing the Reds to chase the game.

The defining moment of the match occurred in the 68th minute when Sinclair deferred a penalty kick to Janine Beckie. Sweden’s goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl made a stunning save on a well-struck ball, denying Canada the tying goal and sparking debate and controversy over the team captain passing on the shot.

“If she scores, we don’t talk about it. But looking back at that game, the bigger problem was we didn’t have one shot on goal,” said Sinclair, who was in Vancouver this week to promote A&W’s ‘Burgers to Beat MS Day,’ where $2 of every Teen Burger sold Thursday will be donated to the MS Society of Canada to assist those living with multiple sclerosis.

“That’s obviously going to be our growth over the next eight months if we hope to do well at the Olympics.”

“I told her ‘don’t let this defeat you,’” the Burnaby-raised athlete said of her post-game discussion with Beckie, who had three goals in Canada’s last bronze-medal showing at the Olympics.

“I’ve missed massive PKs in my career — it’s part of it. It takes guts to even consider to take one in a moment like that. She’s fearless. And this was just the beginning for so many of these youngsters. They’ll be better for it.”

The game ended Canada’s World Cup run, but the 36-year-old Sinclair still sees it as a beginning of a new era in women’s soccer, not just nationally, but globally.

“What struck me with the World Cup — obviously the No. 1 team in the world won it — but what struck me was how many quality teams there are now in the world, that have legitimate chances of winning major tournaments,” said Sinclair, who is still just two goals away from tying Abby Wambach’s all-time record of 186.

“You walk away from the tournament proud of the women’s game, and where it’s come from. The women’s game is changing so much. You have to perform game after game after game to have a chance. And we didn’t.”

Canada’s team has dropped two places from its pre-World Cup ranking of No. 5 globally, behind five European countries and the top-ranked U.S.

But only Netherlands (No. 3), Sweden (No. 5) and England (No. 5) will play at next year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo, with France (No. 4) and the defending champion Germans (No. 2) missing out with only three European spots available.

The level of parity has increased among the top-tier Western countries, all of which have domestic professional leagues. Sinclair — like around 80 per cent of her national team peers — plays in the National Women’s Soccer League in the U.S., with no option to play closer to home.

“A big thing for me would be to have a women’s team in Canada. I have no idea (if that will happen), I have my doubts based on how the women’s game is treated here, but I think that’s the next step for the women’s game,” said Sinclair.

“I think we’re the only team in the top 12 in the world that doesn’t have it’s own professional league or the resemblance of a professional league. And then you look at the men’s side, they have MLS, they have the new (CPL) … it’s time for Canada to wake up and join the rest of the world.

“I think it’s people knowing you’re going to lose a little bit of money to start and being OK with that. MLS owners did it — and MLS owners continue to do it — the women’s game needs opportunities.

“There would be roadblocks and things that have to be sorted out in terms of our Canadians, internationals, but for crying out loud, they do it for the men’s teams. They can sort it out for the women. It’s not rocket science.

“It is frustrating, but that’s what I’ve been fighting my whole career. It’s nothing new. We just need opportunities and people to fight for it.”

“In Portland, we’ve always led the way in terms of fan support. It’s a soccer-crazy city, it always has been. Last year, we averaged 18,000 fans,” said Sinclair. “This year, we averaged more than 20 (thousand), which, I hate to say it, outdraws the Whitecaps. I’m just saying!” she added, laughing.

“It just goes to show that if women’s teams and women are given the opportunity, people will come and watch. They just need the opportunity.

“It’s heading in the right direction, I’d just like to see the progress sped up a little bit,” she said. “A professional team here (in Vancouver), a couple in Canada … I think having the (men’s) World Cup here will help, but we shouldn’t have to rely on the men’s World Cup to push the women’s program ahead.

“There would be roadblocks and things that have to be sorted out in terms of our Canadians, internationals . but for crying out loud, they do it for the men’s teams. They can sort it out for the women. It’s not rocket science. It is frustrating, but that’s what I’ve been fighting my whole career. It’s nothing new. We just need opportunities and people to fight for it.”

MS A LIFE-LONG BATTLE FOR SINCLAIR FAMILY

Christine Sinclair has lived with multiple sclerosis her entire life.

Her mother, Sandi, was diagnosed with the degenerative disease two years before the 36-year-old Sinclair was born, so it’s been ubiquitous in the Canadian soccer star’s life.

“It’s something my family has been dealing with since as long as I’ve been alive,” said Sinclair. “As a kid, you don’t even know, it’s just life. She coached my soccer teams growing up … she was very athletic. And when I was nine or 10, you started to see it physically taking a toll on her. In terms of walking, becoming more rigid, she was walking with a cane.

“That’s when our parents told my brother and I that she had MS, but we didn’t even understand what that meant. It’s been a journey for our entire family, coming to terms with it.”

Her clarion moment came when, as a second-year student at the University of Portland, Sandi was in a car accident that put her into a wheelchair. She hasn’t walked since.

“For me, it was the day she went into a wheelchair,” she said. “Getting your house full of ramps … you realize that ‘this is big.’ As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started recognizing the toll it’s taken on her, because mentally she’s still sharp and wants to be social, but physically, she’s pretty limited now. It’s heartbreaking.

“That’s 100 per cent the hardest part. You know she wants to be doing things, going places, but it’s not easy. Luckily we have a very large and supportive family that visits all the time.”

Despite it being a central facet of her life, it wasn’t until 2017 Sinclair decided to take advantage of her platform as one of Canada’s most celebrated athletes. Speaking at a Women Against MS fundraiser, she decided to take it further to help raise awareness of the disease.

She’s partnered with the MS Society of Canada and A&W in its annual fundraising drive. On Thursday, $2 from every Teen Burger sold by A&W across Canada will be donated to the MS Society of Canada to help those living with MS as part of the 11th annual Burgers to Beat MS Day.

People can also contribute by rounding up their bill on any A&W purchase, through in-restaurant donation mugs or donating online at BurgersToBeatMS.ca from now until Thursday.

“It changed my life. I asked permission from my mom if I could share her story and help bring awareness to the disease, and this partnership … it’s an excellent opportunity to lend my voice and name to a cause,” said Sinclair.

More than 77,000 Canadians live with MS, one of the highest rates in the world. Nearly 11 Canadians are diagnosed with MS every day on average, with women being three times more likely than men to be diagnosed.

The unpredictable nature of the disease — there is no cure, and its underlying cause is still unknown — makes it exceptionally debilitating, with most common symptoms including fatigue, dizziness, (muscle) weakness, impaired sensation, vision loss, mood changes and cognitive impairment.

Sandi Sinclair stays full time in a care home in Vancouver, but her daughter regularly makes the drive from Portland to visit, as does much of the extended family, including her older brother and Sandi’s two grandchildren.

With research yet to uncover a cure, it’s the best loved ones can do for those afflicted.

“My biggest piece of advice is to just be there for them. They just need support,” said Sinclair. “Every little bit helps.”

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